Symmetre

Per today's Calgary Herald, WestJet is talking to its pilots and investigating options for wide-body aircraft, with a view to building overseas routes.

This is the clearest and most concrete response yet from WestJet on this issue. Bring it on, I say. I'd love to give them my business on TATL flights.

sokolov

It also says that baggage fees are highly likely to be introduced in early 2015. :-(

Symmetre

Yeah I know. I hoped if we all just ignored that part it might go away.

Guess not.

airbus320

More details.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/busi...diluted-share/

Altaflyer

I rarely check bags but feel one free bag is fair and civilized. I hope they don't eliminate this last remaining piece of civility.

YYCguy

I agree. How an airline can expect someone to journey without any bag period is beyond me! It will force more people to take bags on in carry on and the overhead bin space is already at a premium!

StuMcIlwain

I hope so, too. Didn't airlines use to claim that it cost them thousands of dollars a minute to delay flights? I've been on US domestic flights that have been delayed by 10 minutes or more because they were trying to sort out and gate check all the carry-on bags. The cost of the delay has got to be more than the money they make by charging for the first bag.

Symmetre

I've often wondered the same thing. When everyone carries on bags to avoid the surcharge, it's complete and utter chaos. Half the bags are too big for the overhead bins, and some people get down the ramp with two or three of them. By the time the FA's haul the big bags back off the plane and pass them down the stairs to be checked, we're 15 - 20 minutes late pushing back. Magnify this by four or five legs a day for some aircraft ... you would think that has to add up to a huge amount of money wasted just in labour expense alone (i.e. paying crews to stand around and wait).

aerobod

Although Ryanair are disliked by many people for their practices in airtravel, one thing they do generally get right is pre-prepping the boarding process to reduce the boarding time significantly. One of the best processes is the pre-check of both boarding pass and documents combined with a Ryanair portable sizing "box" that is slipped over carry-on luggage that may look to be too large compared with their allowance, if it is too large then there is a draconian charge to check it at the gate. A CSA walks the bull-pen line at the gate before boarding starts, to perform these checks. Their bin space is sufficient for the carry-on needs of a full flight, based on the maximum item size they allow.

Heffeh41

Hopefully this works out. I always like hearing about more competition and choices for flyers in Canada.

Heffeh41

"Saretsky said. He declined to comment on what international destinations might be targeted, saying only they would be "markets that are burdened by very high airfares."

Hopefully this means destinations like Tahiti and The Cook Islands.

sokolov

It is one of the main reasons why so many people hate Ryanair.

And it expains why only desparate airports vie for Ryanair flights: Ryanair passengers shop significantly less at the departure airport. They may not be allowed to carry that extra bag onto the plane.

Furthermore, Ryanair has stated that they will raise the fees for checked luggage higher and higher until they don't have to check anything. This is quite different from what North American airlines are doing: They want to earn extra revenue with luggage fees, not deter passengers from checking any.

Keep in mind that many (but not all) Ryanair-flights are short, unlike WestJet's. Ryanair even wanted to introduce standing-room-only-planes.

In another important aspect WestJet and Ryanair couldn't be farther apart: WestJet is majority-owned by its staff. Ryanair treats their employees quite differently: They have to buy and clean their own uniforms at their own expence, whereas office staff has to bring their own writing pens to work. Ryanair has also been found to violate worker's rights.

YYCguy

+1^

robsaw

The majority of Westjet employees are shareholders but the majority of shareholders are not Westjet employees. The largest shareholder group of Westjet are major institutional investors and mutual funds. A couple of BoD members, including the CEO, own around 3% each, but the employees collectively are minor shareholders (about 13%).

HangTen

I wonder what % of Air Canada is owned by the employees?

If WJ employees own 13% of the company, that means the average employee has a $41,500 stake in the company at a $25 share price.

That will make sure they are paying attention to the bottom line!